Fungi of Australia - Australian Fungi and the Environment

Introduction

Australian fungi are poorly known. Some are restricted to Australia, others we share with close or even distant parts of the world, and some are introduced. We could have up to 250,000 species, yet we have names for only 5 to 10% of that number. Even for many known fungi, knowledge of their distribution, behaviour and ecology is poor.

Fungi are neither plants nor animals. Lacking chlorophyll (like animals), they rely on pre-existing organic material for food. They are found everywhere around the world, from rainforest to desert, stream to ocean, and poles to the equator.

Fungi have a number of different lifestyles, all of which have critical impacts on ecosystem function. Saprotrophic fungi feed on and recycle about 85% of the carbon from dead organic matter—such as plants, animals and other fungi. (Bacteria and animals are responsible for the other 15%.) These fungi release the locked-up nutrients that can then be used by other living organisms, making them vital to the health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems around the world.

Parasite

The parasitic fungus Cordyceps gunnii, commonly called the Vegetable Caterpillar, produces a club-shaped fruiting body. This is attached by a stalk to a dead caterpillar up to 30 cm under the ground.

Saprotrophic

These saprotrophic fungi - Aseroë rubra, the starfish fungus, and Aleuria aurantia are both found in many parts of the world where they break down organic matter on the ground.

Rare Hygrocybe lanecovensis, found only in Australia and only at one locality, breaks down organic matter in the soil.

Mycena clarkeana (also found only in Australia) and Hericium clathroides break down complex compounds found in wood.

Mycorrhizal

Many fungi form mutually beneficial plant-fungus partnerships. These mycorrhizal fungi occur on the roots of about 90% of all plants, helping the plants to absorb nutrients from the soil. The fungi benefit by receiving 15-30% of the carbohydrates that the plant produces through photosynthesis. Such partnerships often are critical, especially in Australia's nutrient-poor soils. Every eucalypt tree has fungal partners such as Cortinarius archeri. Without their fungal partners, the plants would struggle to survive—or die!